Boys will be Boys
by Zellychan
Summary: "Even as a child I had powers..." This is that story. Ah, to be young again. ^_^ (*COMPLETE*)
1. It's a Hard Knock Life

Devil May Cry is vague on certain details (such as Sparda's death and why Dante wasn't killed with his mother and Virgil). While they make for interesting fanfics, they can be annoying if stuff doesn't fit together and you just have to live with it. For example, at the time of DMC, I'm going to say that Dante is 28.  
  
Having said that, here is this story's setting: Dante is 11, and it is three years after his family was killed. He is living in an nice, well off orphanage and being "home schooled" there.  
  
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Chapter 1: It's a Hard Knock Life  
  
Dante Sparda was a generally good kid, the orphanage workers agreed, though he could be strange sometimes. He was a fair student, if disorganized and tending to procrastinate, and in athletics he was a natural. Of friends, he had but a few, but that small group worshipped the ground he walked on.  
  
Of course there are always sides to children that adults never see. Like the muffled terror every night when the shadows would hang in the air, and the occasional haunted look that crossed his face, followed by a dark look of anger that was out of place on his childish face. All they saw was that he was bright and determined.  
  
"What do you want to do when you grow up?" they would ask.  
  
He would look up at them with sky blue eyes burning with zeal. "I'm going to help save people!" he'd reply with utter conviction. And how the adults would smile and think about what a wonderful doctor or fireman he'd be.  
  
His thoughts were elsewhere though. He would help the people that needed to be saved from the monsters, the bad ones that…His fists curled into balls as he remembered that night. It had been evening, and he had been playing with friends down the street. One of his friend's mom was walking home, only a few blocks away, when they heard the noises. Rushing over to the house…his friend's mom had tried not to let him look, but he saw it anyway. The broken furniture, the blood. The bodies. The mom dragged him frantically across the street to use the neighbor's phone, and that's when he chanced to look up and see it. Crouched among the shadows of a nearby rooftop. It was as dark as the night, almost a shadow itself, but with burning red eyes of crimson hate.  
  
He'd known what it was. His mother had told him and his brother about devils…and their father. He was one of the good guys, though, she'd say to them. He fought for justice and to save humanity. It was Dante's dream to be just like him. There was no one else to do it. Later, he tried to tell the police about the devil he'd seen, but they had just shaken their heads sadly and tried to convince him it was just a bad dream.  
  
So he kept it a secret. His mother had always warned them not to tell anyone about their father, that some people wouldn't like how they were…different. It was hard though sometimes. He'd seen the Superman movie, and how Clark had to pretend he was a normal guy even though he had all sorts of amazing powers.   
  
Dante had spent a week attempting to fly after seeing it. He found that while flying was not among his stock of interesting powers, apparently fast healing was.  
  
He was eleven years old now, almost a teenager, which meant almost an adult. He was ready for the devils, he thought as played outside swinging a stick like a sword. He would fight them all, like his dad. He would become a hero, and --  
  
"Dante!" one of the boys in a nearby field called suddenly. He carried a soccer ball and was surrounded by a few other boys. "Let's play some soccer!"  
  
Dante grinned and ran over, dropping his stick, dreams of vengeance lost in boyish childhood.  
  
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Aw…isn't he cute? ^_^  
These chapters are going to be a lot shorter than from my other fanfic, Reign of the Five.  
  
Next Chapter: …(I don't have a name yet) ^.^* 


	2. Agent D

Hehe…I'm having fun with this fanfic. ^_^ For some reason I this chapter I'm seeing 11 year old Dante like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes.   
  
Am I making him act too young? I'm trying to remember what the guys were like in 4th or 5th grade.  
  
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Chapter 2: Agent "D"  
  
It was dark night. The pitch black dark that spoke of secrets and shadows and silent whispers of movement. It was a darkness that ate away at a man's courage, sapping his strength and giving life to his darkest fears…  
  
Actually it was about 9:30 in the evening and the stars twinkled merrily overhead, but it made Dante feel much cooler to think about the other way. His heart was beating furiously as he sped from bush to tree to shadow, stealthily keeping out of sight. Tonight was the night of the plan…the mission.  
  
He made it away from the orphanage into the small grove of trees nearby. As he approached, he could hear the sounds of faint breathing. He smiled in the night. "It's me!" he whispered. After a moment there was a rustle in the trees and a boy's head popped out from dense thicket of branches.   
  
"Dante!" he hissed. "Get in here!  
  
Date gave one last look around before ducking into the entrance. It was a tight squeeze through the branches, but once inside he had plenty of room. The grove they were in was the type perfect for having forts in, since while the tangle of growth had spread outward forming walls, it left a hollow hut with a roof of leaves and stars.  
  
There were three other boys there, including the one he had already seen. Their eyes all gleamed mischievously as they nodded a greeting to him. One of them, the leader for this particular mission, squatted on the balls of his feet. Normally Dante led missions and meetings, but this mission had been Rob's idea so he got to run it. Rob grinned and looked around at them all. "Alright guys," he whispered, "here's the plan! Tonight," he said pointing with a stick at one of the orphanage's nearby buildings, "we raid the girls dorm!"   
  
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The orphanage really did vaguely resembled a mini college campus. In the center was the main building where the offices and dining hall were, with the girls dorm on the left and the guys dorm on the right. There was about a total of 20 girls and 20 boys, ages eight to eighteen, and NO they were not allowed in each other rooms!, though Dante occasionally saw some of the older boys sneak inside every now and then.  
  
Dante's group of friends planned secret missions to do every week, from stealing deserts from the kitchen to flying boxers from the flagpole. Sometimes they got caught, sometimes they didn't. It was the game that mattered.  
  
Dante's job was a scout. He had better night vision and hearing than the other boys (though they didn't know how good!) so he was given the honor. He pressed up against a wall of the girl's dorm, trying to control his breathing. From a window only a foot or two above him he heard the sound of voices chattering.  
  
Rob had been fanatical about this mission. "We burst into a room and blast 'em with our Supersoakers!" he said enthusiastically waving his. "Your job is the most important. You have to sneak inside and find a room with girls in it. Don't get seen! You're nickname for this mission is…" Rob had floundered for a second, then filled in with, "Secret Operative Agent D!" With that Rob had saluted him and ran off for his position.   
  
"Agent D." Dante liked the sound of that. It was slick…mysterious. Now, creeping around the building to the front door, kept a up a continuous internal monologue. "Agent D stalks the night," he thought to himself. "Patroller of the shadows, like the invisible ninja. Silently he slinks along the enemy territory, knowing the price of failure if he is discovered…" And so on.  
  
Dante peered into the corner a window of the girl's hall. No one seemed around the entrance. He cracked the door, then crept inside. One of the hall's door opened suddenly and Dante looked desperately for a place to hide. A tall bookshelf against the wall had a width that looked big enough to conceal himself on. A four foot vertical leap let him grab hold of its rim and he quickly pulled himself on top, where he lay still. Two older girls came down the hall and went into the bathroom.   
  
"What's all the noise?" Dante heard one of them say.  
  
The other rolled her eyes. "Some of the kids in 13 are having a makeover party or something."  
  
"Wohoo. Nutty kids. Did you know tha--" as soon as the bathroom door closed behind them, Dante rolled off the bookshelf and darted out the door. Room 13! It was perfect! Now he just had to tell the others.  
  
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They held their Supersoakers close as they moved in. Dante and Rob were huddled beneath the room's open window to the outside, the two other boys had gone inside to attack from the door. Rob and Dante were waiting for the other boys to bust in the door, their cue to jump up and spray in from the window. Dante was tense with excitement, twitching in place, then he froze suddenly as he heard a low heavy growl behind him.  
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Bwaha! Cliff-hangers are evilly fun! ^_^  
  
Next Chapter: Revenge of the Supersoakers 


	3. Revenge of the Supersoakers

Ah, yes I forgot: I don't own DMC or related characted. I DO, however own a large Dante shrine that I light candles around and pray to every night. *Dante gives her nervous look* Heh, just kidding. Wheee…lots of caffeine today…^___^  
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Chapter 3: Revenge of the Supersoakers  
  
Dante was frozen for just an instant, yet in that instant time seemed to stop. Through his mind came racing back all his fears of the night…and the creatures he knew hunted in it. Then he snapped out of it and flung himself in a tight roll away from the window. He hit the ground, stumbled to his feet, and looked up to see that Rob had done the same maneuver. His eyes then shifted to the creature couched about ten feet away between both of them.   
  
It looked vaguely like a cross between a bull mastiff and bear, except one with a black gleaming coat, flaming red eyes, and short stubby legs. Saliva dangled from it mouth as it hunched and growled low in it's throat. Suddenly it launched itself at Dante with a speed that belied its size. Dante, startled, took a bad step back and fell on his rear with a thump. Jaws were hurling towards him…he acted on panicked instinct…as he brought up the supersoaker he still clutched and squirted the oncoming, airborne devil right in the face.   
  
While it the water didn't harm the devil in the least, it did surprise it enough that it jerked and lost its trajectory, landing awkwardly a few feet diagonally behind Dante. Dante scrambled to his feet and ran over to where Rob was while the creature picked itself and shook the water from its face.  
  
A sudden shriek from the girls' window made the boys and the devil jump. A split second later, the howling and hooting of boys could be heard over the shrieks. The others, unaware of what was happening outside, were soaking the girls! The devil, undaunted, made another leap for the boys. This time the two simultaneously fired their supersoakers. The dog devil was hit with a dual blast of water in the face again, and this time when it got up Dante almost felt sorry for it. Between the water and the continued earsplitting shrieks of the girls, it appeared to have had enough. With a resent snort it took off towards the woods. The woods, unfortunately, across the street. The orphanage wasn't in a terribly populated area, but it was nearby enough that the roads weren't empty much of the time. As the devil bounded into the street, it froze in the blinding headlights of a car. The driver swerved, but still clipped the devil hard. The devil was flipped into the air and landed with a heavy crunch. It attempted to get to it's feet, but then collapsed limply.  
  
The driver appeared slightly stunned by the impact, though primarily unhurt. Thus he didn't see what Dante and Rob witnessed watching the devil. The devil's body suddenly sloughed [is that a word?] and seemed to sink upon itself, dissolving into a liquidly puddle. The goo then seemed to rise up and disappear in a red swirl, leaving no trace of the body. The boys stared as the process happened in less than a few seconds. As the driver finally got out of the car, they two boys looked at each other then ran to the spot.   
  
By this time, alerted by the past shrieking of the girls and the sudden squealing of tires, one of the orphanage workers ran out. "You boys get back inside. Now!" he yelled as he approached the car. The boys, hoping he hadn't noticed their supersoakers, ran off back towards their secret meeting lair. As they left, they heard the driver talking to the worker, "I think it was a dog. It must have run off into the woods…"  
  
Back at the hideout they found the two other boys already waiting there.  
  
"Where were you?!" one of them hissed. "We got them good, but you guys never popped up!"  
  
Dante and Rob exchanged glances, out of breath. "There was…" Rob panted, "This dog thing…attacked us…outside…"  
  
The two others gave them sarcastic looks. "A dog thing? C'mon, you expect us to believe that? If you guys were chicken you should have said so."  
  
Rob's face flushed and Dante gave them a hard look. "We're not lying! It did attack us!"  
  
The disbelieving boy shook his head in disgust. "Yeah right. Probably scared of a shadow. I'll catch you pansies later." He and the other boy walked off to their dorms. Rob and Dante were still trying to calm their furiously beating hearts.  
  
"Dante…" Rob said at last, "What was that thing? And what happened to it?"  
  
Dante hesitated. His mom warned him about telling people about demons…but Rob was his best friend. "I guess…it was a…monster." That sounded a little better than devil or demon. "A freak or something. You know? I guess it died when the car hit it and…and…" he found himself groping for an explanation he didn't have.  
  
Rob just shook his head. "Things just don't MELT like that when they die…not normal things" He shuddered remembering it. Dante just said nothing, shifting uncomfortably. His hearing, super tuned by the night's events, picked up a rustle in the bushes behind them. He pulled out the supersoaker and blasted the bush. He heard a high pitched yap of surprise and a thump. Curious, he pushed aside the foliage. "What is it?" Rob asked.  
  
There among the bushes was a young puppy, same type as the other devil dog, but looking much more unhappy and wet. It whimpered and shivered, then returned the boys' curious looks with one of its own. "Roww?" it yapped.  
  
Rob gave it a cautious squirt of water, sending it sitting down hard and wiping the water form its red eyes. "Doesn't seem very dangerous," remarked Rob.  
  
Dante agreed. It looked down right pathetic. Yet…as it cried unhappily to itself, Dante wondered suddenly about the older devil dog. Had it been a parent? Where would the pup go now? Dante looked at it, then cautiously extended a hand. The pup looked at him distrustfully, then took a sniff. After a few seconds, he took a nip at him. "Hey now," Dante said. The pup looked up at him. Dante sighed. It may be scary, red-eyed, and a devil…but it was also undeniably cute and helpless.  
  
A slow smile came to both boys' faces at the same time. "I've always wanted a pet."  
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Aww…Dante has a puppy. Admittedly a demonic one, but still. ^_^  
  
Next chapter: Blade 


	4. Blade

Um…wow. I have no opening comments. Or does saying that I don't really count as one? *gets dizzy thinking about it* @_@  
  
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Chapter 4: Blade  
  
It was night, a few hours after the accident. A man stepped out into the road, now devoid of traffic in the wee hours of the morning, and wandered over an apparently random point on the road. He squatted down and ran his hand slowly across the pavement, a thoughtful look upon his face. A face that Dante, had he been there, would have been surprised to recognize as that of Mr. Brenz, the director of the orphanage. Mr. Brenz stared at the spot of pavement that to the average observer was no different from any other…but he was no average observer. As he stood and wiped his hands on his coat, he pursed his lips, wondering if he should have a talk with Dante…and if the boy was old enough to understand.  
  
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In the weeks following finding the pup, they had decided to name the dog Blade. While both boys played with him, he really was Dante's dog more than Rob's. Dante wondered if it was because Blade could sense he was half devil himself. One way or another, it was all both boys could do just to keep the pup out of sight of the orphanage workers. While the orphanage had nothing against pets (it even had a stray dog and cat that constantly wandered the grounds as kids fed it scraps) it probably would not take too well to a red eyed, glistening black scale-plated puppy. So the boys tried frantically to alternate between keeping it fed, entertained, and out of trouble, while meanwhile having to pretend nothing was unusual when they hurried off to their secret lair in the woods.  
  
Today was it was Dante's turn to take care of Blade during lunch. He and Rob switched off times, and to be honest it was relief to be alone with the pup sometimes. This way the pup could actually nip him hard and Dante wouldn't have to cover up the fact that his bite marks disappeared unusually fast. Dante sighed. That brought him to another problem. Rob now knew that devils existed. He still referred them as 'monsters' and didn't know they came from hell, but he still KNEW they existed, which was more than most people. Dante worried that one day he might accidentally spill the beans about Blade and get them both in trouble. Blade  
  
"Well there's something you don't see everyday," an adult voice said suddenly behind him.  
  
Dante spun in surprise. He hadn't even heard anyone approach…and blinked. "Mr. Brenz…" he whispered, hit by stab of realization that Mr. Brenz was looking at Blade with interest.  
  
He wasn't an imposing figure in any way. He was an attractive, fit, middle aged man with long wavy brown hair, a face that looked a bit like a softer Harrison Ford, and plain brown eyes that twinkled behind their glasses. He was usually dressed in a plain semi-formal dress suit and tie. And ratty sneakers, which he said he wore to throw people off.  
  
Normally he didn't look intimating at all, but to Dante, crouched behind a bush with a very abnormal looking dog, it was like looking at fear itself. "I…I…uh," Dante managed to say, his mouth opening and closing as no words came out. How does one explain any unauthorized pet, especially one like Blade?  
  
"It's not every day you see a domesticated Canis. That's their species name you know, same as a normal dog," Mr. Brenz continued conversationally, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary. "They usually run wild in the Underworld."  
  
Dante took a very loud swallow, then found some of his stubborn defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly, meeting Brenz's eyes unflinchingly.  
  
Brenz sighed and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Very well, I didn't expect this to go smoothly. Dante, please join me in my office after dinner tonight. We need to have a talk."  
  
Dante's suspicion and wariness must have been obvious, since Brenz added gently, "About Blade among other things. There are things you, as well as Rob, must be told. I would have preferred to wait, but now is a good opportunity for you both." He smiled pleasantly and walked off in the direction of the main building.   
  
Dante immediately jumped up and ran off deeper into the woods, Blade at his heels. After he had gone quite a distance, he stopped and leaned panting against a tree. Blade wagged his tail and whined. Dante patted his head and sat down. What should he do? He could run away, he realized suddenly. He and Blade could take off and…and…and…he banged the back of fist against the tree leaving a large dent. And what? He was smarter than that. He'd probably be stealing food within a week. Mr. Brenz hadn't seemed surprised or upset by Blade…and what could he possibly have to tell Dante? Dante felt his curiosity getting the better of him. It couldn't hurt…Dante could always run away afterwards if it was something bad.   
  
He fondled Blade's head then suddenly grinned and tackled the pup, who now a month after they had found him and grown quite a bit. Blade yipped in surprise before gleefully joining in the match. After a few minutes tussle, the two sat up happily disheveled. Dante looked up at the sunlight streaming through the branches above while a wisp of wind brushed through his silver hair. "Yeah," he said aloud, "Let's go see what he's got to say.  
  
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Yay, an update! ^_^ I realize I'm not going much into Dante's powers being expressed as child, but I plan to do more in upcoming chapters as the plot thickens…*cackles evilly before being sacked*   
  
Next chapter: Heirlooms 


	5. Heirlooms

Note: I changed the name of this chapter from 'Woozy Sword' to 'Heirlooms'. I just like it better this way. ^_^   
  
A long conversation loaded chapter…in which we get some explanations.  
  
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Chapter 5: Heirlooms  
  
Dante barely touched his food during dinner that night, his mind preoccupied with the day's earlier events and the expected events of tonight. He wondered what to say to Rob at dinner, but Rob apparently had not been told about the meeting after dinner yet.  
  
"What's with you?" Rob asked. "You're acting all zoney."  
  
"Yeah, sorry," Dante said not meeting his eyes. "Must have been something I ate. I'll see you later," he added abruptly and headed out of the cafeteria. Rob shrugged confusedly, then went back to eating.  
  
Dante walked across the yard to Mr. Brenz office, kicking a rock along the way. He had been building his resolve for the last hour or two and was now determined to not reveal anything he knew without first getting information out of Brenz.   
  
As he walked into the small lobby outside his office, the secretary gave him a sour look. "Mr. Brenz is waiting for you," she said crispy. Dante resisted the urge to flick her off. She probably thought he was going to get reprimanded for getting the girls with squirt guns last month. So far no one had mentioned it. Dante gave her a pleasantly false smile and said, with politeness that bordered on being mocking, "Why thank you!" and walked into Brenz's office.  
  
Mr. Brenz was typing something at his computer and looked up as Dante walked in. "Ah, Dante. I was hoping you would show up. You are undoubtedly curious as to why I called you here," he said waving for Dante to take a seat across from his desk.  
  
Dante sat down and nodded cautiously, trying not to reveal anything.  
  
Brenz put his elbows on his desk and studied Dante over his interlaced fingers. "So much like his father," he murmured so that Dante could hear him. "First of all," he said at a normal voice level, "I should say I knew both your parents well. Very well," he added pointedly. "It was in fact because I knew them both so well that you are at this orphanage today and not some other one.  
  
Dante sat unperturbed, just watching him.  
  
Brenz sighed. "I'm going to be very blunt then. Perhaps more than I should be. You and I share a certain tie. My great, great grandfather was a demon, much like your father."  
  
Dante tensed as he said that, and something glimmered in his eyes. Fear? Curiosity? Denial? Brenz wasn't sure.  
  
"My great, great grandparents weren't quite as…happy…as yours were, though. He left her soon after…" Brenz floundered. How does one explain to and eleven year old that your great great grandfather had raped your great great grandmother and left her for dead?  
  
"Anyway," he continued firmly. "The point is that your mother knew my history and felt that, were anything to happen to her, you and your brother should be transferred into my care. That way I could turn the other cheek to certain…let's say…occurrences that others would viewed with suspicion or concern. Such as your meeting that demon dog last month. Needless to say, and I don't want to pull up any bad memories, you alone made it here."  
  
Dante swallowed. Brenz wondered if the boy was going to cry, but was surprised and impressed instead to find a rock hard, cold determination his blue eyes. Vengeful eyes, he noted to himself.  
  
"I was also instructed to, at a point in the future that I deemed best, give you two objects your parents wanted you to have." Dante looked very interested.  
  
"What type of objects?" he asked, the first thing he had said so far.  
  
Brenz smiled faintly, then rose and went to his closet. Dante leaned in his chair to watch. From a hidden door in the side of the closet, Mr. Brenz pulled two objects. Dante's breath caught. One was a huge double edged sword with a hilt in the shape of dragon's mouth and wings. The other was a ruby red amulet on a metal linked chain.  
  
"I would have preferred to give you these when you were around eighteen, but fate and time keep their own schedules. This sword," he said laying it across his desk, "is a gift from your father. I sure he would want you to use it wisely, and for the good of humanity, as he did with his sword. It's name is Force Edge. The amulet," he said, tossing it to him," is from your mother. It's a memento of sorts." There had also been one for Virgil, Brenz thought to himself, but someone or something had stolen it before he had been able to obtain it.  
  
Dante looked into the amulet's red depths, thinking of his mother. He had only been eight when she was killed…but everything he remembered of her were memories of a good and kind mother who loved her sons dearly. Desperately, he thought suddenly, recalling how she would often stare out the windows at night with a worried look. Now he understood why.  
  
"I'm giving these to you now instead of later because the circumstances seem right," Brenz said, jerking Dante out of his thoughts. "If you are attacked in the future, you had best be able to defend yourself with something other than a supersoaker. The other thing in question is Rob's involvement in these matters."  
  
"Rob doesn't really know anything," Dante broke in quickly on Rob's behalf. "He hasn't told anyone about Blade either."  
  
Brenz looked confused. "Blade? Oh the dog. Yes, well I know Rob well enough to know that while he seems content, he is desperately wanting to know more. He is also smart enough to know that you are hiding something from him. Dante, Rob needs to know everything. About the Underworld and more importantly about you."  
  
Dante began to protest, but Brenz held up a hand. "It will test your friendship, I know. But if he does not find out now, he will undoubtedly find out later. And some things are best learned while still young."  
  
"But what if he hates me?" Dante demanded. "What if he thinks I'm no better than the dog that attacked us?"  
  
Brenz looked at him not without sympathy. "I understand your concern, and there is also a risk for me too in telling Rob the truth, but that something I am willing to take." Mr. Brenz punched a button on his desk. "I assume Rob is waiting outside, Ms. Mahoney?" he asked the secretary through the intercom. "Please send him in."  
  
Rob walked in the door, his questioning look becoming a goggle-eyed stare when he saw Force Edge lying on the desk. He shot a look to Dante, back to sword, then to Mr. Brenz. "Um," he said uncomfortably.  
  
"Take a seat, Robert," Brenz said. "We have some things to discuss. And I promise not to use the sword on you," he said wryly.  
  
Rob sat down next to Dante and gave him a nervous grin. Dante couldn't help grin back, though it faded it quickly. "Mr. Brenz," Dante said suddenly, "Can I talk to Rob alone?"  
  
Mr. Brenz looked taken aback, but nodded after a moment's hesitation. "As you wish. I trust you know what you are doing." He got up and left the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
Rob jumped up. "Dante's what's going on?! That is a freaky giant sword there! Brenz didn't seemed pissed at us, but…"  
  
Dante shushed him. "Rob…we're best friends right? I mean, we watch each other's back you know?" You wouldn't…I dunno, freak out or something if I told you something weird would you? I mean, we'd still be friends."  
  
Rob gave him a look. "Dante, you sound like a girl. But…I dunno, yeah. We're buds. What are you talking about though?"  
  
Dante took a long breath then said in a low voice. "Right. You know that dog that attacked last month during the raid?" Rob nodded. "Right…well…it wasn't a dog. It was a devil, like the kind with pitchforks. And it came from hell."  
  
Rob stared at him. "Dante, what the HELL, are you talki--"  
  
"Just let me finish," Dante said. "Okay, I don't what you believe, but there is a Underworld where demons live, and they can attack people, like they did with us. Not all the devils are bad, though," he added quickly. Rob said nothing, but obviously looked like he had no idea where Dante was going. "Right…so…sometimes…these demons can come to our world and…have kids," he finished lamely. "And my dad…well…"  
  
Rob was still staring, but now a different look crept into his eyes. "Wait a second Dante. Are you saying your dad was a demon?!"  
  
Dante looked straight at him. "Yeah. I know, I'm a freak, and I'll understand if you hate me or something, but--"  
  
"Are you crazy?!" Rob shouted. "That's awesome! You're a fricking half demon! That's so cool!" [ah, boys are so amusing]   
  
Dante blinked, unsure what to do. That had been the last response he had expected. "Seriously? You're not…freaked out? I mean, this stuff is real."  
  
Rob rolled his eyes. "Duh. I've been thinking about that 'dog' thing too. Did you think I wouldn't notice that you always avoided talking about where it came from and stuff? Besides you've always been weird. Pfftt. But being half demon…I mean it's not like you're going to eat me or something. And now that I know, think of all the cool stunts we can pull off! Do you have any superpowers?"  
  
"Ahem," a voice said from the doorway. Both boys spun to find Brenz poking his head through the door. "I trust everything is alright," he said with a grin that said he had overheard the last sentence or so.  
  
The boys looked at each and grinned impishly. "Hell yeah!" they said together with a high five.  
  
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Well that was a very talky chapter…time for some action! ^_^  
  
Next Chapter: Fight or Flight 


	6. Fight or Flight

I usually don't start stories without having the whole plot in mind, but for this story I really had no idea where I was going when I started. I honestly making it up as I go along. ^_^*  
  
Oh yes, Dante's getting older, so expect some stronger language. Boys, tsk. ^_~  
  
Knight-Lancer: Yes, I did mess up in the last chapter and describe Alastor instead of Force Edge. Thank you for pointing it out for me!  
  
Lil Chibi Kuri: Wish granted, Kuri will make a mini appearance. ^_^  
  
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Chapter 6: Fight or Flight  
  
It's been three and a half years since the night Dante had received his father's sword and revealed his secret to Rob. Both boys were now fifteen years old, and had given up their pranks for more…'worthy' pursuits. Dante had immediately been extremely pumped up to go demon hunting, but unfortunately Brenz had other ideas.  
  
"Dante, I don't care WHOSE son you are, I'm not letting you around the grounds at night with a sword. I'd cost me my job and whole slew of questions you and I both don't need. I'll keep it in my office."  
  
However, things did no go as Brenz wished. In the next couple of months, devil sightings had become more and more frequent in the area, to the point that Brenz feared the general public might start to investigate. Brenz, not without misgivings, decided to let the boys train and take care of the smaller, less harmful devils in the area. Dante quickly became very enthusiastic and well trained with the sword, while Rob fought using martial arts which he had been taking classes in since he was very young. Along side the two would lope Blade, who quickly grew from puppy to a fierce, though gentle hearted, monster. Time passed in this fashion and the years went by, a strong bond of comradeship developing between the three friends.  
  
This night, as the two teenagers and the dog ran through the woods like shadows, seemed the same as any other. Tonight they hunted a flying bird like devil that Brenz said was called a Puia. Dante leapt from tree branch to tree branch in the woods, brushing pine needles out of his face and hair as he went. Flying devils were a serious pain in the ass. He'd seriously thought about getting some guns in the future, though Brenz would probably flip out. Below and slightly behind him he could hear Rob and Blade, while somewhere ahead of him he could sense, sort of 'feel', the Puia. He swatted pine needles out his face and hair as he took a leap above the trees for a higher look. Damn, where was that thing?  
  
Suddenly the woods beneath him exploded as the Puia tore up at him from beneath. Dante, still in midjump, whipped out Force Edge and swiped at the birdlike form. The Puia veered off and screeched at him from above as he dropped to land on the forest floor. Rob and Blade appeared next to him.  
  
"You okay?" Rob asked, scanning the sky. Blade growled as the Puia circled overhead.  
  
Dante nodded. "Yeah. This sucker is just pissing me off though. He's impossible to reach."  
  
Rob dodged a feather missile it sent down. "Tell me about it. Maybe we should get it to come to us instead though."  
  
"What to you mean?" Dante managed to actually reflect a missile by using Force Edge as a bat, and the Puia warked angrily as it came back.  
  
"Yo ugly!" Rob called up to it suddenly. "What's the matter, you chicken? Too much of a wuss to come down here and fight?"  
  
Dante blinked. "Are you being serious?" Rob had stupid ideas a lot. But, Dante noticed, the Puia actually seemed a little pissed off. It was worth a try. "Yeah birdbrain, come on! What, was your mother a chicken too?"  
  
Rob looked at Dante. "You need work." Blade growled an affirmative. "Though it does seem to work!" he called rolling out of the way and the Puia swept into the glade. Now within striking distance, the three friends went to work. The Puia swatted at Dante with a wing only to have Blade leap unto its back and sink his teeth into the devil bird's neck. It shrieked in pain and flung the dog off, flailing in fury and agony. Rob ran at it from the front, ducked its sharp beak by hitting the ground, and gave it an uppercut kick to the head. The devil reeled, now half blind, and sank to the ground as Dante stood over it with Force Edge.  
  
One cut took care of it, and it's remains faded into the ground.  
  
"Whoo, not a bad night," Dante said brushing the hair out of his and holstering his sword.  
  
"Not bad at all." Rob looked at his watch. "And if we hurry back we can grab some food before the cafeteria shuts down." The boys said goodnight to Blade and ran off to deposit their weapons and clothes and get some snacks.  
  
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Meanwhile, in the dimensional depths of the Underworld….  
  
There was a game in progress. A ruthless game of strategy and cunning, where mercy was left to the weak to be trampled. Two devil lords were currently participating in this vicious and calculating game of wits and power.  
  
"Checkmate!" Bolverk announced smugly as he angled his bishop. "That's 9 out of 10 games for me, my lord." The skeletal figure grinned.  
  
Rafangorok, a high level devil with the body of a muscular man with jagged bone spikes emerging from his skin, gave him a sour look and harrumphed. "Cheater," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"My lords." A low class demon messenger appeared by the door of the room. "There have been reports of many demons going missing in a certain area. The forest in question used to be highly populated with devils, yet now there are few left. There has been some question by our locals as to whether an investigation should be made."  
  
Rafangorok reset the chess board. "What sorts of demons have been disappearing?"  
  
"Nothing large or of standing, sir. A few Puiae, some Canis, and some demon squirrels."  
  
Bolverk snorted in contempt. "Vermin and trifles. It's probable just some renegade demon hunter that's trigger happy in the woods."  
  
Rafangorok nodded. "Send a Sin Scissors if you want, to take care of the problem. We'll see how our little menace fares with it." The messenger saluted and left the two to another game.  
  
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The next day at the orphanage, Dante and Rob were hanging out in a lobby like room, talking about how wickedly they took that Puia the other night. Dante, sitting at the piano, plinked out Mary Had A Little Lamb on the keys. He really liked music, but the piano was too old fashioned. He would have liked to jam on a guitar or some drums, but he made do with the piano since it was all they had.  
  
"Dude…I'm so bored," Rob said slouching on a couch, hat over his eyes. "There's been no game recently, though I guess we should be happy about it. I just wish they'd let us off campus more often." While the orphanage did take trips into town often, its children were not allowed to go unaccompanied. And while they did sneak out quite often, it wasn't the same as freedom.  
  
Dante stopped playing. "Tell me about it. Just three more years man. Then we'll be eighteen, free to do whatever we want. Free lancing mercenaries. We can work our way from town to town doing the odd devil hunter for cash. Bad ass wanderers, that's us." He looked up suddenly. "Hey, we could go find Kuri. I heard she was planning on taking a walk today in the woods." He grinned mischievously at Rob.  
  
Kuri was one of the new girls in the orphanage who had been transferred in a few months ago. She was around their age and Rob was nuts about the girl. Dante's didn't think she was too shabby either. "Sweet!" Rob said jumping up. "Let's go." The two boys headed off towards the woods across the backyard.  
  
After a few minutes they were crunching among the fallen autumn leaves. Attracted by the noise and their scent, Blade bounded out from behind a rock and wagged his tail. Dante patted his head. "Sorry boy, but we've got a girl to catch. We'll visit you tonight." Blade gave a gruff snort and jumped back into hiding. "Touchy," Rob commented.  
  
Dante was about to reply when he sensed a devil presence. He stopped and started into space. A devil at this time of day? Rob gave him a funny look.  
  
"What's wrong? You're zoning out on me."  
  
"There's a devil somewhere around here," Dante said quickly. "I'm sure of it. And it's a strong one too." Rob tensed up and scanned the surrounding area. Both boys jerked as a young girl's scream split the tense silence.  
  
"Kuri!" Rob whispered, then bolted ahead into the woods.  
  
"Rob wait!" Dante called, then ran and caught up with him. "We don't have any weapons!"  
  
"Damn it Dante, that was Kuri! She could be dying out there!" Rob panted back savagely.  
  
Suddenly the boys skidded to a halt as before them they saw a girl in a silver sheet and khaki shorts with her back pressed against a tree and a terrified look on her face. Ten feet away from her, hovering in the air, was a strange apparition. A ghostly figure of a hideous woman in a fluttering black tunic cackled in a high pitch voice while flexing the enormous pair of scissors in its hands. "Eheheheheeheheeee!" it cried.  
  
"Kuri!" yelled Rob. The girl gave them a startled look of terror.  
  
"Rob! Dante!" she cried and ran stumbling over to them. Rob caught her as she tripped. The Sin Scissor rolled in the air and laughed at them. Rob pulled up Kuri, looking into her frightened and confused brown/green eyes. "Listen Kuri," he urged, "You have to get out of here. Go straight to Brenz and tell him what happened, alright? Go. Go!" He gave a push in the direction of the orphanage. The stumbled away a few steps and turned back as the boys faced the monster. Dante glanced at her. "We're covering for you! Do what he says!" he snapped. Kuri tightened her lips and fled back through the woods towards the campus.  
  
Dante and Rob looked darkly at the Sin Scissor that click its scissors at them. "What should we do?" Rob asked. "We don't have any of our weapons, and we told Blade to stay at the rock…"  
  
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Dum dum dum… The boys are in quite a predicament. ^_^ Tune in next time for the exciting conclusion! (well it's not really the conclusion, but it's darn tooting exciting!)  
  
Dante: Did you just say "darn tooting?" ¬_¬  
  
Next Chapter: Fight or Flight Part 2 


	7. Fight or Flight Part 2

Um, well I lied. This actually IS the conclusion (like I said, my planning was sketchy for this fic). I'm am planning on adding an epilogue and some Take Outs scenes after this though.   
  
Random thought: Sin Scissors look like female, like hags. Are there male Sin Scissors? ¬_¬* ?  
  
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Chapter 7: Fight or Flight Part 2  
Mr. Brenz, orphanage director, was sitting behind his desk reading fund raising papers when the door to his office flew open with a slam. He looked up in surprise to see their newest addition, a girl named Kuri, panting in the doorway. He frowned and stood up quickly. "Kuri, what's wrong? Are you alright?" The girl ran forward and clutched onto his sleeves, crying.  
  
"There's a monster in the forest," she sobbed. "It's going to kill them, I know it is!" Brenz blinked in confusion as the girl cried against his chest, then his eyes widened as realization swept over him. He grabbed Kuri's shoulders.   
  
"Kuri," he asked quickly, "Are Dante and Rob there?"  
  
Kuri just nodded through her tears. Brenz let out a deep breath through his nose and clasped her hands together in his. If the boys were expecting to meet Kuri then they would have gone unarmed. "Alright Kuri, now I want you to listen to me very carefully. I need you to be strong for me alright? Stay in my office until I come back. Everything will be okay." He handed her a tissue box and ran out of his office. That was as comforting as time would allow him to be at the moment. Brenz dashed across the orphanage grounds to the boys dorm, while the children watched with interest (it's not everyday your headmaster runs like crazy around campus). He burst into Dante's room, ignored the mess, and went into the area of his closet where Force Edge was kept. He wrapped the sword up in a blanket in hopes of making it less conspicuous, then dashed out of the building and into the woods. He hoped he wasn't too late.  
  
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Meanwhile, deeper in the forest, the fight had begun. The Sin Scissor luckily didn't move very fast, but the boys had run into the fight's problem early on. Rob had taken a punch at it from behind…only to pass completely through it. Repeated attempts had had the same result.  
  
"Damn it!" Rob said dodging the scissors's jab. "What is this thing, a ghost?" Dante barely managed to flip around the devil and felt the scissors cut into his jacket.   
  
"Well those scissors aren't ghostly!" Dante called to him. "Maybe we can use them to our advantage. We need some kind of weapon!" Having said that, Dante waited until the Sin Scissor was just about to slice him in half and then jumped back at the last second. In the moment where the devil was had not yet reopened its scissors, Dante tried to grab and wrestle away the enormous pair of scissors. The Devil seemed surprised, then cackled in evil amusement. The scissors themselves suddenly became as insubstantial as the devil and Dante lost his balance, stumbling. Rob leapt up and distracted it from Dante. The devil backed up and swung the scissors at the irritating boy. Rob backed into a tree suddenly and the scissors that attempted to snip him slide together but were stopped by the tree. Each point of a blade dug inches into the bark on either side of his waist. Rob tried to twist out of the deadly quandary as the Sin Scissor pressed in harder, but the struggle was no avail. Dante had gotten to his feet and was about to rush over when Rob stopped him.  
  
"Get out of here!" Rob yelled. "You've got to go get help and your sword! Staying here will get us both in trouble!"  
  
Dante's first reaction was one of angry disbelief. No way he was leaving a friend in a situation like that! "GO! I can hold on!" Rob yelled at him, still pinned and squirming. Dante hesitated. He couldn't just leave Rob, but at the same time if the battle continued as it had been then they would both be in trouble before too long.  
  
Rob squeezed his eyes shut and fought to escape the scissors. If I can't get out then at least Dante should, he thought desperately. His eyes popped open as he heard a yell and saw Dante jump forward and sock the devil right in the face. "Stay the hell away from my friends!" To both boy's surprise, the devil actually recoiled with a shriek and seemed to be in pain. Rob rolled away from the tree to where Dante was. "Thanks buddy. You should have gotten away when you could though, idiot. Now we might both be screwed."  
  
Dante gave him a cocky grin. "Like hell I'm leaving you here to have all the fun." He looked at the angry and circling Sin Scissor. "Did you see that though? We've never hit that mask it wears before. Maybe that's it vulnerable spot." Both boys spirits soared at this information and revitalized them a bit. "Let's take it down!" Rob said and punched a fist into his palm.  
  
"Dante!" a voice called suddenly. Dante turned to see a rather worn out looking Brenz leaning on a nearby tree and clutching a long cloth bundle. "Here!" he called and threw the bundle to him. Dante caught it awkwardly and pulled the blanket aside to reveal Force Edge.   
  
"Sweet!" Dante said, whipping it around and throwing the blanket back to Brenz. He twirled the sword then pointed it towards the Sin Scissors. "Let's do this thing." The devil shrieked and spun towards him head on. Dante blocked the open scissors with Force Edge and gave a shove forward it them that caused the devil to lose one of its hand's grips on the scissors. He jumped forward and swung upwards but it pulled its head back just out of reach. From the opposite side of the devil, Rob slid underneath it's ghostly form and then pushed off the ground with his hand to kick the devil's mask hard. His foot met it with a Crack! and the devil howled in pain as it sliced through the space he had previously occupied. The creature was beginning to realize that staying close to the ground was not a good idea with these two, and it circled higher like a bird.  
  
"Damn!" Rob said, "It's going to get away!" Brenz gave him a 'watch your language' look which Rob rolled his eyes to in return.  
  
"Not if I can help it!" Dante said and brazenly gave a demon powered jump up with it. Dante was a great fighter. He had the strength, speed, and attitude to take on just about anything. He could not, however much he wanted to, fly. Which, he discovered, is not a good thing considering the Sin Scissor could. In midair about twenty-five feet off the ground he swung at the devil only to have his sword blocked by the gigantic scissors. Dante suddenly found himself very vulnerable as he hung awkwardly in the air while gravity began to grab control. The Sin smiled wickedly, then it whipped the scissors around to slam Dante into the ground and plunge Force Edge deep into the earth beside him. "Dante!" exclaimed Rob in distress.  
  
Dante blinked away his momentary dual vision (for a sec there were two Brenz's looked concerned at him) and shook the dirt out of his hair. He rolled on his back to see the Sin coming down on him at full speed with the scissor point aimed at his heart. Dante had only a moment to register that Force Edge was out of reach and that he had no time to dodge. Time seemed to slow as he watched that deadly point come closer and closer as his hand edged out towards Force Edge. He wasn't go to make it…he was too slow…this was the end…Dante's eyes went wide with shock as, still feeling as if he were in slow mo, he saw Rob hurdle between him and the devil. Some distant part of mind was screaming but all he felt was his mouth drop open and his eyes fill with horror as the scissors pierced his friends chest. Time caught up with itself and Rob fell with a heavy lifeless thud. Dante sat in shock for a second while the Sin spread its blood stained scissors wide. Then a tremor passed through him and he clenched his hands and eyes as a tear ran his face.  
  
"How many more…will have to die at the hands of evil shit like you?" he said hoarsely. "Everyone I'd call family…HOW MANY?!" he yelled furiously and yanked Force Edge out of the ground. Brenz, who had watched the last scenes with shock and horror, now felt his blood run cold as Dante's eyes had taken a dark red glaze over them. Dante jumped forward with speed borne of an enraged demon and plunged his sword into and through the Sin Scissor's mask. The devil looked surprised as it disintegrated and the mammoth scissors fell to earth before they too shatter into nothingness.  
  
Dante shuddered uncontrollably a moment while clenching his father's sword. He let out a broken breath and then stumbled over to kneel where Rob lay. Rob, blood trickling from his mouth, grinned up at him weakly. "You…got the bastard."  
  
Dante's eyes burned. "Yeah…but…why? Why you stupid son of a bitch? Now…now…"  
  
Rob smiled slightly again. "Don't go crying on me buddy. It doesn't suit you. 'Sides…I owed you for earlier." Rob squeezed his hand a bit. "Go give em hell for me. I know you will."   
  
Dante smiled thinly, if only for Rob's sake. "Yeah…yeah I will." Rob pulled a deep ragged breath and then suddenly seemed to go limp. Dante bowed his head. Mr. Brenz walked up and put a hand on Dante's shoulder, not sure what to say. For him and Dante both, this day would take awhile to recover from.  
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And yes, The End. So to say. Poor Robby…  
  
Next Chapter: Epilogue 


	8. Epilogue

I know the last chapter was rather dark compared to the rest of the story and might have been…annoying? But well that's the way I kinda planned it. I felt something bad had to happen in this story. ^_^*  
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Epilogue  
It was a week later. In that week Brenz felt like he had aged 10 years, and he knew he probably looked just as bad. As he sat in his office and stared into space with unseeing, tired eyes, he tried to recall if he was forgetting anything important he should be doing. On his head had fallen the responsibility of tying up all the loose ends created. Taking care of Kuri for one. Poor girl. Brenz, in hopes that a different environment would be more soothing to her, had transferred her back to her old orphanage where she could be among her old friends. As he had steadied her shoulders and given her a goodbye hug, he had tried to send her a silent message that she should try to forget all she had seen. She had asked no questions, but her pain filled eyes burning with confusion were enough to make him turn away. She knew she had seen something strange in the woods. Unworldly. Dark. Terrifying. Brenz sighed and rubbed a kink out of his neck. Kuri was a strong young woman and would recover in time, even if she never got her questions answered.   
  
Other, even less pleasant matters he had to attend to were things like Rob's funeral. He had managed to chalk up the death to an animal attack. The funeral had been held in a local cemetery. Brenz, thinking about how the funeral had gone, felt his thoughts turn to Dante. The boy had been very quite all week, except for the occasional painfully forced smile and laugh he would give people. Brenz ran his fingers through his hair. First the boy's dad, then his mom and brother, and now his closest friend…for a 15 year old he had had a rough life. And for all these tragedies to be cause by the same evil forces…it made Brenz wonder what Dante must be thinking. "I should go talk to him," he said aloud softly to himself. He knew where he was. Dante and the dog had gone there just about everyday for the last week now.  
  
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Dante sat in the little grove of trees that he and Rob had spent so much time in as boys. He hadn't been there in years really and had been surprised at how much smaller it seemed now. He brushed the floor of dead pine needles absently with his hand, lost in old memories of childhood. Blade, lying next to him, licked his hand and whined softly. Dante looked down at him and smiled. "You miss him too, don't you boy?" Dante scratched the devil dog's head. Dante had always almost taken Rob for granted. He had really almost been a brother more than a friend, yet I their own childish way neither of them had ever considered that one of them might be killed. They had been young and arrogant…and Rob had paid the price. Dante felt a tear fall. He put his hand to his face, took a deep, and pushed the hand up through his hair letting out the breath. "You can come in if you want. I know you're there," he said to the air.  
  
Grass crunched softly as Brenz ducked into the grove. Blade's tail thumped twice and Brenz patted him with a wry grin. "He's really gotten big since you found him." The silent plural 'you' was not lost on Dante, who smiled back a bit.  
  
"Yeah. I guess he has grown up a bit. Everyone did." Dante stretched to lie on his back, staring up into the twilight blue sky. Brenz was curious to see a strange gleam in his eyes. Dante turned his face to him and smiled. "But you know what? I don't really want to grow up. At least not to become some stuffy suited nobody. I want to be me, forever. I think Rob wanted the same thing for himself."  
  
Brenz hesitated. "Dante…"  
  
Dante shook his head. "No. I'm not giving up or anything. I'm still going to be the best damn devil hunter the world has seen. I'm going to do it my way though. And…alone. Rob…taught me that much. He once told me that he thought our experiences teach us better than anything else can. I agreed and still do. And it's in my experience that the Underworld must be stopped…and that those that try to help me seem to get hurt." He jumped to his feet and Blade got up as well with a bark. "So I will continue to fight. So that no one else has to die."  
  
Brenz was rather taken aback. He had expected the same cocky Dante he had known for years, and in some ways he still was the same. The cockiness and attitude remained, but a little subdued by a new maturity. Yet…how could he let Dante continue down his path? One of the boys in his care had already died and Brenz did not want to see the same bloody fate for Dante. It was hard allow the boy to put himself in danger, yes….but even harder still to keep him from his obvious destiny. "Dante." The boy, no, man, looked at him. Brenz just looked back expressionless for a long second, then a smile crept across his face. "Good luck. I know you'll succeed."  
  
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7 years later…..  
  
Dante sat in a bar sipping a Jack and Coke. Business had been picking up lately. At first he had worried that Devil May Cry would either go unnoticed or that the people who called would just be psychos. Apparently he had earned some status and gotten mentioned in the right circles. He smiled behind his glass. Hot damn, that meant he could raise prices.  
  
"Dante Sparda…" a man's voice said behind him. Dante did not respond but instead finished his drink with one gulp. It was highly unlikely that a devil would attack him in such a public place. This guy was probably some desperate, pesky, customer whose call he hadn't returned. He turned to tell the guy to beat it, and frowned slightly instead.   
  
"You…?"  
  
The slightly balding man smiled faintly. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me after only four years?"  
  
Recognition dawned on Dante. "Brenz?!" The older Brenz chuckled at him. It was Brenz! He had gained a few pounds and lost a few hairs, but the familiar twinkle was still in his eyes. "Of course I haven't forgotten you! It's just a surprise to see you again. Faces from the past and shit." Dante tensed suddenly, then almost laughed. It was good to know he still tensed when he swore in front of his former headmaster.  
  
Brenz took a seat next to him. "It has been awhile, more so for me than you I think. Once you start aging it really jumps up on you. You still look pretty much the same. Maybe a little more…intimidating."  
  
Dante had left the orphanage at age eighteen, as was required, having missed out on adoptions for ten years. Brenz loaned him enough money to get an apartment and a job until he could support himself. Dante had left Blade at the orphanage in Brenz's care. The devil dog ran loose in the woods for the most part, driving away any demonic intruders that ventured too close to the orphanage. After awhile contact slowed and stopped. Dante hadn't heard from Brenz in about two or three years.  
  
Dante grinned. "That's what I'm going for. I've got a business I've started up." Brenz quirked a curious eyebrow at him. "The same old deal as always. Except now I get paid with cash instead of pats on the back. Plus I get a little closer every day to punching out the bastard who took out my mother and brother."  
  
"Actually I'd heard about your little business myself," Brenz said with a wink. "I'm not as involved with devil hunting as I used to be, but I still hear news. Your name popped up and I thought I'd come see how life was treating you."  
  
Dante spread his arms to gesture the bar area. "Things are good. It's nice to know from someone that my hard work finally paid off too. I thought I was going to be some underpaid, nameless hunter for awhile. Now I'm in some higher circles and I've even set up a password system for myself. What about you? Still at the orphanage?"  
  
Brenz nodded. "Same old place with different kids. Though much more quite since you've disappeared. You and your little posse certainly kept my day busy back when you were young." Suddenly a beeper went off on Brenz's belt. He checked it and sighed. Dante waited. "I've got to run. Apparently some of the kids decided to toilet paper the lawn in my absence."  
  
Dante laughed. "And you say it's quieter there now?!" He let the chuckle die away and stuck out his hand. "It was good to see you again. Take care of yourself." Brenz shook his hand warmly and firmly. He had just about reached the bar's exit when Dante called to him.  
  
"Hey pops……thanks…for all the years. I had a nutty childhood and I want you to know I hold you completely responsible!"  
  
Brenz grinned and gave him a last wave before heading out. Dante ordered another drink as youthful memories gave way to present day thoughts and the scent of a demon somewhere in the area. Time to go to work.  
  
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The End!  
  
I hope you liked it. This was actually my first fic so I hope it was alright. Thanks to all who read and especially to those who reviewed! Now shoo and go play some DMC! You know you want to! ^__^  
  
~~Zellychan 


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